[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=18255

$120M project coming to New Buffalo

Ray Gudas
For The News-Dispatch

Mixed-use development to include resort hotel, indoor water park

NEW BUFFALO, Mich. - Something big is planned for a 100-acre site in New Buffalo Township at 9200 U.S. 12, near Lakeside Road.

It's a mixed-use planned-unit development consisting of a 280-unit resort hotel with a conference center, indoor water park and additional accommodations in 15 detached four-unit buildings.

The project also includes a six-acre retail zone, and a residential area with 48 single-family homes, 68 attached town homes and 96 apartments.

The reported value of the project is $120 million.

The New Buffalo Township Planning Commission gave its blessing to the development on Oct. 7. If the Township Board does likewise at meeting tonight, construction could begin within 60 days, according to an overview of the project prepared by R Development Group, an affiliate of Chicago-based UrbanStreet Properties.

The document describes the hotel as having "suite-style rooms, two restaurants and an interior retail promenade."

Exterior recreation areas will contain "swimming pools and deck space, seasonal event space and heavily landscaped gardens."

The attached conference center will offer 30,000 square feet of event and function space in sizes ranging from a 15,000-square-foot grand ballroom to 500-square-foot meeting rooms.

"It is the intent of the development to become a regional destination for small- to mid-sized conference and business meetings," the overview explains, "as well as to become a primary resource for ... social events such as weddings and parties."

As for the water park, the overview describes it as "55,000 square feet of activities that include water slides, play areas, food and beverage service, and locker room facilities."

The retail zone along U.S. 12, will be divided into outlots that individual retail users, including restaurants, can purchase or lease and develop.

The developers estimate that the Waterfront Resort and Conference Center, as it is being called, can be completed in 18 to 24 months once all of the necessary permits have been obtained and hook-ups to municipal water, sewer and utilities have been worked out. The timeline for the retail and residential portions of the development is more difficult to predict - both involve third-party buyers and lessees.

Township Clerk Rolland Oselka said two key factors persuaded the developers to choose the New Buffalo Township site over others. They were its asking price and the fact the property has no wetlands issues, which would have required time-consuming dealings with the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality.

Township officials were told the development would create an estimated 400 jobs.

It also may bring affordable housing to the area. Estelle Brinkman, the township's Building Department Administrator, said rent for the development's apartments will start at $550 per month, with single-family homes starting at around $120,000.



Ray Gudas is associate editor for Harbor Country News in New Buffalo, Mich

[Dave]

Shouldn't the title be "NB" rather than "SB"? I was thinking this was going to be in South Bend.

[Southsider2k12]

Shouldn't the title be "NB" rather than "SB"? I was thinking this was going to be in South Bend.

You are right... I will fix.

[m4liberty]

What a shame we missed this for our area. It seems the poliitcal figureheads have a grip on their real responsibilities in the New Buffalo area and aren't in favor of the Socialist (something for nothing) policies and Political (cash in on the taxpayers) Entreprenuership that has lead our area downhill for decades. One trip to compare each of these areas only begins to tell the whole story.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Please stop misusing 'Socialism' like this.

[m4liberty]

I stand corrected. What would you call it?

[edgeywood]

What a shame we missed this for our area. It seems the poliitcal figureheads have a grip on their real responsibilities in the New Buffalo area and aren't in favor of the Socialist (something for nothing) policies and Political (cash in on the taxpayers) Entreprenuership that has lead our area downhill for decades. One trip to compare each of these areas only begins to tell the whole story.

Remember, the MC proposal involved using Washington Park land for a similar venture. A great example of the socialization of the risks, and privatization of the profits.

Personally, I prefer the Michigan City lakefront to the wall of condos in NB.

[digger262]

Remember, the MC proposal involved using Washington Park land for a similar venture. A great example of the socialization of the risks, and privatization of the profits.

Personally, I prefer the Michigan City lakefront to the wall of condos in NB.

I agree, but there has to be some industry to maintain that lakefront. NB has clearly embraced the tourism industry. We'll see how they manage it but so far they seem to be doing alright for themselves. I'm constantly told by MC residents they don't want tourists and want to keep 'FIP's out. Yet industry is clearly not beating down the down to locate in MC. At least NB has made a decision and moved on it. MC hasn't made any major decisions in regards to industry since the late 1980s with the outlet mall.

People seem to forget the 'best years' of this city were when they took advantage of the lakefront. Though I wasn't around, my mom still talks about how 'alive' the lakefront was with the amusement park and other things down there. I remember her telling me almost every summer night was like the fireworks night, people everywhere having fun.

Just curious, those that don't want what NB is doing in MC, what do you propose for MC revitalization? Remember, with the MC school system, very little industry wants to locate in MC. It's a tough sell to employees to move to a city where the school system is so poor. You have to be realistic with your expectations. Of course, every city would like to get corporate headquarters and major manufacturers to come to their city. But this hasn't happened in MC for 30+ years. Thinking it's going to happen now is 'pie in the sky' thinking. Taking advantage of the lakefront and tourism is not. Just my humble opinion, but one developed from living in MC for 25 years and staying very close to the city for 40 years.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Remember, the MC proposal involved using Washington Park land for a similar venture. A great example of the socialization of the risks, and privatization of the profits.

Personally, I prefer the Michigan City lakefront to the wall of condos in NB.

Thou speakest my language!

[edgeywood]

Just curious, those that don't want what NB is doing in MC, what do you propose for MC revitalization? Remember, with the MC school system, very little industry wants to locate in MC. It's a tough sell to employees to move to a city where the school system is so poor. You have to be realistic with your expectations. Of course, every city would like to get corporate headquarters and major manufacturers to come to their city. But this hasn't happened in MC for 30+ years. Thinking it's going to happen now is 'pie in the sky' thinking. Taking advantage of the lakefront and tourism is not. Just my humble opinion, but one developed from living in MC for 25 years and staying very close to the city for 40 years.

Maybe we should concentrate on fixing the school system rather than relegating the next generation to minimum wage tourism jobs. MC consistently sells itself short.

I'm not against tourism. I just don't think the citizens of MC should give up any portion of its front yard for private development. If a water park and conference center is a viable business, then let private business develop it...on private property.

[lovethiscity]

I agree, but there has to be some industry to maintain that lakefront. NB has clearly embraced the tourism industry. We'll see how they manage it but so far they seem to be doing alright for themselves. I'm constantly told by MC residents they don't want tourists and want to keep 'FIP's out. Yet industry is clearly not beating down the down to locate in MC. At least NB has made a decision and moved on it. MC hasn't made any major decisions in regards to industry since the late 1980s with the outlet mall.

People seem to forget the 'best years' of this city were when they took advantage of the lakefront. Though I wasn't around, my mom still talks about how 'alive' the lakefront was with the amusement park and other things down there. I remember her telling me almost every summer night was like the fireworks night, people everywhere having fun.

Just curious, those that don't want what NB is doing in MC, what do you propose for MC revitalization? Remember, with the MC school system, very little industry wants to locate in MC. It's a tough sell to employees to move to a city where the school system is so poor. You have to be realistic with your expectations. Of course, every city would like to get corporate headquarters and major manufacturers to come to their city. But this hasn't happened in MC for 30+ years. Thinking it's going to happen now is 'pie in the sky' thinking. Taking advantage of the lakefront and tourism is not. Just my humble opinion, but one developed from living in MC for 25 years and staying very close to the city for 40 years.

I'm sorry, how do you get to the lake front? I got as far as the library. Where the heck is this pot of gold?

[digger262]

Maybe we should concentrate on fixing the school system rather than relegating the next generation to minimum wage tourism jobs. MC consistently sells itself short.

I'm not against tourism. I just don't think the citizens of MC should give up any portion of its front yard for private development. If a water park and conference center is a viable business, then let private business develop it...on private property.

Hasn't MC already relegated quite a bit of the current generation to minimum wages or worse, no jobs?

But I do agree, MC should not give up the lake front for private business, but I don't think they should oppose them either.

I guess my point was at least NB is doing something to try and spur the development of their city. They are actually moving on things. MC has not done anything in 20+ years except to plan to change. The school system has degraded to one of the worst in the state. Industry has moved out of the city and nothing has replaced it. And yet I still hear from MC residents all the time to keep this out or that out. I don't believe MC sells itself short, I don't think they sell themselves at all.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my hometown and think it could be the 'crown jewel' of NW Indiana and even the region. But by remaining stagnant for the last 20+ years, it has receded into an afterthought.

[Roger Kaputnik]

I would refer the Gentle Reader to the many threads and posts regarding North End Development already available.

[Southsider2k12]

In all seriousness, with the collapse of the capital markets, forget about anything getting done on the north end, probably for at least 5 or 10 years. We missed our window there with too many damned studies. We needed to strike when investment capital was flowing like water. The credit markets are frozen for anything considered speculatory, and building a project like that fits right into that definition. Its the same reason I don't see much getting done at the former YMCA site.

[Roger Kaputnik]

All the better for the Parks Dept to take over the YMCA site.